


Things Change

by archy412



Series: The Bee's Web [3]
Category: Homestuck
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-06
Updated: 2017-06-06
Packaged: 2018-11-09 16:38:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,071
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11108568
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/archy412/pseuds/archy412
Summary: People change, emotions shift, and thoughts are always cloudy through alcohol and hangovers.





	Things Change

**Author's Note:**

> Sorry for the delay! I actually wrote this chapter several months ago but wasn't happy with the ending. As of writing this I have just read through it, edited a couple things here and there, and was actually very happy with the ending. Other than that, I do have another chapter in the works (don't ask how it works, just trust me that it does and all will be revealed in time) and I hope to have that out in the next couple months. 
> 
> Other than that, constructive criticism is always welcome and I hope you enjoy the chapter!

There wasn't much of my body that didn't ache with either pain, regret, or some combination of both. It know there were other ways to describe my position but when I tried to think of a way my brain threw itself against my skull in protest. I knew I was going to need more than a couple pain pills with my medication today.

I lazily opened one eye to scour for any clue as to my whereabouts; I couldn't see anything in the room, was it my own? It couldn't have been if I couldn't see the blow from my tower's power button, I never shut the damn thing off. Wherever I was I wasn't exposed, not with the comforter hiding my body. Which after laying still for a couple moments longer told me the blanket was the only fabric between me and my complete exposure.

Another moment passed and I could finally start making some features out around the room, so there had to be some light coming from somewhere. With the new light I made out the faint shape of a dresser, tall but not very wide. I closed my eye and sighed in relief. I knew it was my place now, I saw that dresser every time I awoke from a slumber.

Something was off though, why couldn't I remember anything from last night? Just trying to think about anything gave my brain another beating so I quickly gave up on that. 

'Whatever,' I thought to myself, 'I'm not going to purposely give myself brain damage over this.' Shifting ever so slightly to wrap my blanket tighter to my body I decided to try and go back to sleep. 

“Hey!” Someone yelled from the other room.

I don't think I could have shot into an attentive stance faster. Who was in my room? Why were they in my room? And most importantly – who was in my room?! 

For the moment I didn't answer. I wanted to wait and see for myself before doing anything rash (I had learned more than enough from Sgrub to know that usually lead to death). So I waited, and waited, and waited. When I thought that that it was just the voices in my head playing tricks on me I, regretfully, flopped backwards.  
But the painful bliss of silence and a pounding headache was soon interrupted with a hunk of flesh and horn as it dropped beside me and sent me to my feet off to the bed.

My head spun and I wasn't standing upright for half a second before a hand lurched out and grabbed my wrist, forcing me to my knees, bent over my sleeping chamber with my face buried in the bed sheets.  
“Good god you light-weight. At least give yourself half a day before you try to jump back into the action.” The sarcasm was a dead giveaway and when I opened my eyes to see one horn bent back on itself at the tip and the other split off to shape itself like a crescent moon at the same point I knew who it was. 

Part of me was relieved that I at least KNEW who it was, but a much larger part of me was still a mix of disbelief and rage. 

“What. Are. You. Doing. Here?!” I growled through my teeth.

“Now whatever could you mean? You begged me to stay the night,” she replied calmly as her fingers gently scratched my bed head of hair. I would never admit that it was a comforting feeling.

“Don't play dumb with me Vriska,” I muttered, “you and I both know I would never do that.”

“You did last time I popped by, remember?”

I hated to think she was right, but she wasn't wrong. Last time she came around I had her stay on my couch, out of pity of course. I hurt her unnecessarily and even she didn't deserve that. 

I groaned as I forced myself to look at her through my red and blue eyes. “Then can you at least tell me what the hell happened last night? Or at least tell me I didn't make a complete moron of myself.”

“Well I can tell you what happened, but you not looking like a complete dumbass is hard at any day of the year.” Her sarcasm was more annoying than helpful at this point.

“Vriska..” 

She cut me off before I could start, “oh hush I'll fill in the important bits.” She rolled herself onto her side before she began. “Basically you ordered the pizza and beer, we drank, you got drunk and decided we needed to go somewhere that wasn't your man-cave of a home. So we went for a 'walk,'” her emphasis on walk got me nervous, “and when we got to one of those parks designed for grubs you decided it would be a good idea to climb everything.”

This time it was my turn to cut her off, “and you didn't think to stop me?!”

“Hush, its story time, hold your questions until the end.” She prompted before starting up again, “now where was I? Oh yes. So after you climbed, and fell, off of most the equipment we took off to the shoreline where a bunch of seadwellers were having a bonfire. And we all know you're obsessive hatred towards all ocean citizens-”

“Not all of them..”

“Right, right, aside from Feferi. Anyway, you went at them, head strong, to prove your dominance or something, and quickly ended up underneath a pile of slightly drunk, confused, and offended water walkers. So it was up to me to save the day. After some gentle persuasion on my part the group of us shook hands, made amends, and enjoyed a couple hours of bonfire drinking and singing.”  
“Okay, hold up a minute,” I remarked with a stern look, “you're telling me that YOU passively convinced a bunch of sea-dwellers that I meant them no harm and we all merrily danced the night away?”

“Well I didn't say that. But it's about the gist of it yeah,” it was an obvious lie on her part.

I decided to push further, “no, no. I want to know what you did or said to them about the whole ordeal.”

“Some mental coaxing alright? Yeesh, it's like you don't trust me to tell the truth or something Sollux.” She said with what I'm assuming was an eye roll. The darkness of my room blocked most of my vision. 

“ANYWAY, for the fourth time now, so we all got pretty messed up on alcohol and the whole group ended up in a weird brawl from what I can recall. You got absolutely pummeled by these guys and I couldn't help but laugh as you stumbled back onto your feet at least a dozen times.” 

'Explains why every part of me aches..' I mumbled to myself.

“I decided to join in, essentially beat up most of them in what I consider to be a heavily one-sided fight. One against four or five just isn't fair,” She boasted, “but that only lasted so long. Eventually, with the sun coming up, we all decided to go our separate ways, or rather most to the sea and we left to dry land. We ended up back here, you told me to sleep with you because you didn't feel well and here we are.” She finished with a sharp breath out.

“Well that was an anti-climactic ending..” I complained groaning as I stood up to stretch and wooziness flooding my head forced me to clutch my bed post to stop myself from falling.

“What do you expect? You were drunk and drained, both mentally and physically. I hadn't seen you in such a pathetic state since you and Eridan fought for days on end!” She exclaimed as she sat up.

I half glared at her through the gray lighting in my room, “what about you? You seem fine and I highly doubt you drank any less than me.”

“Higher alcohol tolerance of course; Just another aspect that I'm superior to you in.” Vriska remarked cockily.

“Whatever,” I replied turning around to reach for my blinds, “I'm going to open my blinds, prepare your eyes.” 

I grasped one of the curtains but Vriska reached out and yanked me back onto the bed. For a brief moment I felt the cool skin of her upper chest before she lurched backwards. “Just hold up a minute okay?”

“Vriska..are you..not wearing clothing?” Was the last thing I got out before something slammed into my head.

\----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

“Do you mind telling me why you dragged my ass to this shit hole of a supermarket and not to, oh I don’t know, the one not for food stamping shit heads like the ones currently fighting over there for a slab of meat?!” Asked my red blooded companion.

“I dragged you here because I need someone to stop me if I burst out in a hungover rage against these pathetic shit stains of Alternia.” I responded with a growl.

“Ohh, okay! That just raises more questions you festering cesspool of troll politeness.” He started while I threw a bag of frozen vegetables into the cart and continued moving to my next destination.

“Those being..?” I asked without looking at him.

“Why are you drinking alone so much now? Why don’t you ever invite me? Why are you never online anymore? Why are you, seemingly, pushing me out of your miserable excuse of a life?!” He only got louder with every question, “I want some answers Captor. No, better, I DEMAND some answers from you.”

I couldn’t help but glare at him, “last I checked, I don’t owe your pathetic ass any answers for what I do with my time in my life!” I didn’t want to yell but my pounding head told me I failed. “I have a job, Karkat. I have a job to pay bills and maybe there’s times where it’s, oh I don’t know, not so great. So maybe instead of booting up my computer and getting yelled at by six sweep year olds about how they fucked my guardian last night, I decide to have some beers and laze in front of my television! Is that good enough for you?!”

He only watched me with his usual, ‘unamused’ look.

“What?” I asked through bared fangs.

“Nothing, I’ll drop it.”

“Now that isn’t very you at all.”

“No, no it’s not. But I’m giving you the respect of not prodding any further.”

‘Least someone gives me that.’ I thought to myself as I added a fresh case of beer to my cart. “Thank you. Now let’s get out of here before I murder both of those two for that meat. I’m thinking tacos for supper.”

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

With some medication in my system and the sizzle of supper on the stove I was certainly feeling better. I’d changed out of my usual black t-shirt and jeans into Spider-Man pj bottoms and a loose fitting white tank top. Not something I wear often, but tonight felt like a good night to do so.

 

I grabbed a beer from the fridge and took a swig, feeling the cool bubbles of the beverage refresh my coarse throat. Today had been a hell of a day between waking up hungover and beaten, being knocked out by a presumably half-naked Vriska, and having to shop with a near insufferable moirail in a supermarket filled with ingrates of Alternia, a slow night was what I needed.

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK

‘Ignore it Captor. Just ignore it.´ I thought to myself, letting my body unstiffen and my breath out through my nose.

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK

A heavy sigh left my lips. I knew an easy night was too much to ask for. Reluctantly I dragged my feet to the door and opened it. 

“PAWLUX!!!” came a little voice before I found myself staring up at my ceiling, and the small feline face of another, much more welcomed, friend.

I would have much preferred greeting her with words rather than a groan of disapproval from my still aching body. But I’ll never forget her face go from pure happiness to complete terror faster than I could blink.  
“Oh god, I’m so sorry Pawlux! Please forgive me???” She asked in her high pitched and angelic voice. Typical Nepeta fashion her pawed hands had retreated to her chin and she was begging for forgiveness.

“Yes yes Nep, I forgive you. I’m just a little sore from last night is all and I wasn’t prepared to be ambushed by such a ferocious animal.” I responded trying to sound comforting as I reached up and scratched behind her ear. Sure enough her face eased into one of bliss as she laid down on my chest and imitated a purr.

“Thanks, Pawlux. I just missed you is all. We haven’t spoken much lately..” her voice was barely audible but the weight of her words were as clear as glass.

I sighed and laid my head back against the hardwood floor, “I know, Nep.” I started, “and I apologize for that. I’ve just been..busy.” It wasn’t a total lie. But I didn’t want her knowing the whole truth of it.

I heard her sigh in response, “I know. I assume Vriskers has been bothering you more since that first night weeks ago.” 

Curse her and her cuteness, “well. She has come around once more yes. But I also mov-, wait, how did you get my address?” I asked her raising an eyebrow.

She went beat red from what I assumed was embarrassment, “promise you won’t be mad?”

Another sigh, “I promise.”

“I asked Vriskers…”

For a moment both of us were silent. I don’t think I’ve ever felt that much tension in a room before. And I’ve been in a lot of rooms full of all kinds of tension.

I broke the silence, “alright. Well…I kind of have supper going, you hungry?” It wasn’t much of a question but I needed to say something to change the subject.

“Umm..depends what you’re having!”

I shrugged from underneath her, “well, I did have some beef cooking up for those tacos that the humans were always talking about, thought I’d give it a try.”

Nepeta brought a paw to her mouth as she chuckled, “Pawlux, you know that it was all just a game right? None of it really existed? That’s kind of why everyone who died is alive.”

I blushed as I shifted to sit up against my doorframe, “actually no…and I’m not the only one who didn’t quite understand why the others were alive and kicking. Regardless! Let’s get cooking! Just because they were nothing but ones and zeros doesn’t mean the food can’t be real.”

“Alright, Pawlux,” Nep replied softly. “Let’s get making some ‘human’ food.”

And that’s just what we did. We made supper, we ate said supper, we relaxed on my couch and cuddled while watching some documentary that Nepeta pestered I change until I finally did so, and after a few hours we were both sort of crashing on right there, her in my arms. But as great as the night had been something wasn’t quite right.

“Hey, Nep?” I asked over her head.

“Hmm?” she didn’t even turn her head when she responded evidently falling asleep.  
“Di-did you want to crash here tonight? I mean, given how late it is and all.” God I must have sounded pathetic, or desperate, or both.

She chuckled and shifted in my arms till she was laying, stomach down, on top of me. Her fatigue clouded eyes looking into mine, “well, if you’re inviting. Should we maybe go to your room?” Her suggestion sounded somewhat like she was expecting me to ask her to stay.

My yellow blush betrayed any chance I had of turning her down. “W-well I suppose we can do that. It’s a lot comfier on my bed than on my couch.” Lie. I always thought that my couch was much cozier than my bed. The backrest of the couch always made sleeping on my side (my preferred resting position) easier.

“Well,” she purred at me, getting up and stretching before grabbing my hand, “why don’t we get going then.”

“O-okay,” I really needed to stop stuttering. A few months ago I would have killed for this opportunity. I guess Nep only needed the realization that I wouldn’t always be here waiting for her. Or maybe this was just what she’d become in the last few months, although that one was highly implausible. No one goes from a shy girl like her to a possibly suggestive vixen. 

No matter the cause of her new personality, I took her hand and let her take the lead as we headed into my bedroom. The lights stayed off oddly enough. I figured she’d have wanted to turn them on to make sure she could see her way to the bed. But instead she yanked me in, slammed the door behind me, and stared at me through clearly lustful eyes. 

“Off with them.” She demanded.

I was completely taken back by that. “Wait, what?” I responded back completely dazed.

“You heard me, Sollux.” She purred my name in my ear as her nails trailed down my chest, digging into my shirt and pulling them down my torso.

“Uhh, d-don’t you think that MAYBE this is kind of rushing it Nepeta?” I asked though didn’t physically try to stop her. Part of me wanted this after all. Or maybe it USED to want this. Now it just didn’t feel quite like it was what I had expected originally. 

Oddly enough though, my words did stop her. “Oh..well if that’s how you feel about it.” Her words were heavy, not like she was going to start crying or screaming, but they felt heavy of guilt and disappointment.

I had to think of something to say, Nepeta was always easily influenced by her emotions and a bad one would easily put her in a rut for days on end. 

“No, no! I swear it’s not that I DON’T want it.” I started to explain before briefly pausing to collect my gallimaufry of thoughts. “Actually, I don’t know how to explain it but I know it doesn’t feel quite right. It’s been a weird last few months and I just want to enjoy the company of someone I know I’ll enjoy.”

I could feel Nepeta’s body start to ease out of the blizzard that her emotions had been causing inside her. My own mind was still a mess. Despite trying, I couldn’t mentally sort out everything like I had hoped I could. My inner self was actually fighting with itself trying to decipher the mess of mixed signals I was getting. 

After what felt like hours of self-suffering in my own mind with her impossible puzzle Nepeta whispered under her breath, although too quiet for my inattentive ears to understand.

“Hmm?” I asked, temporarily putting the puzzle on hold.

“Nothing..” her voice was no longer colours. No longer vibrant or flashy, it was dull. Like her soul had been sapped from her body.

“Nep, look at me.” Surprisingly she looked up at me, her eyes reflecting her words, dull. “I’m not going to kick you out and send you home. I’m not going to make things awkward and have you sleep on the couch. You can sleep in bed, with me, if you want. I want that.”

“Thanks, Sollux.” She certainly sounded a little more yellow, a little less grey. Although it certainly wasn’t the same hyper happy bright green she was when she came by originally. 

I held her close to me, this time though just as a friend helping another friend. “Of course, Nep. You’re always welcome here if you need a place to crash.” I chuckled and looked down at her, my gaze met with hers, “now. Let’s get ready for bed.” 

A nod of approval was her response and I thought I’d dodged a large bullet. But when my apartment door started groaning in pain from being pounded on I knew it wasn’t going to be so easy.

Nepeta gave me a confused look, “who could that be Pawlux?”

I sighed and shook my head, avoiding her gaze just trying to avoid another situation. “I’m hoping it’s just some stupid, unknown, drunk troll and not anyone I know.” ‘Emphasis on unkown’ I thought to myself. “Anyway, you just stay here and I’ll join ya after dealing with our unwanted guest.”

Another nod for a response and she was already undressing as I slipped out of my bedroom, closing the door behind me, and headed to the front door. I already knew who it was anyway when I opened the door and shoved my head through the space.

“Yeesh Sollux *hic* you’ve really gotten bad at pretending you’re not home.” Said the already drunk queen of spiders on the other side of the door  
“Yes, I’m here. Now keep it down alright? Tonight isn’t a good night and I need you to leave.” I whispered at her through my teeth. I wasn’t sure if I was angry or I was worried, maybe both.

“Oh?” apparently she had something in her hand because when she attempted to pose and fell flat on her back it started spilling over the carpet hallway. “And you want to turn aw-*hic*-away this hot piece of adventure?”

I sighed and shook my head from embarrassment, “normally, I know I wouldn’t have a choice. But tonight I have company so I really can’t let you in.” My explanation came much softer than my earlier greeting.

But instead of Vriska backing off she jolted her head up in curiosity. 

“Oh? And who would you have over that you don’t want me to see?” She inquired, struggling to get up, even slamming her hand into the wall for support.

“N-none of your business!” I yelled a bit too loudly for my current liking. I quickly shoved my emotions into check before continuing. “Tonight is just a night I’ve been..expecting I guess you can say. I don’t want anything to get in the way of this.”

For a moment, Vriska half leaned on the wall quietly, rocking slightly and almost falling over a couple of times. She took a swig from her drink before answering. “You know something, Captor?” she started before giving me her best attempt at a glare. “I thought we had something good. Drinking, cuddling, fighting, I was having fun. And I dare say I WAS DEVELOPING A BOND!” Now Vriska was yelling and I could easily see as the tears started streaming down her blush filled cheeks. 

Another moment passed, I was no longer in my apartment, and I had come out into the hall with the angry beast now in front of me. I was standing in the epicenter of her anger. Sure to take the full brunt of whatever she deemed fitting for my words.  
But nothing came like I thought it would. Instead of being lashed out at, being taken control of and inflicting reach-around self-harm, instead of any sort of physical punishment, she cut deeper. When she dropped to her knees, dropped her drink, curled her hands into fists and slammed them onto the ground, I didn’t know what to do. What to think. What to say.

Tenants started coming out to see what was happening and I quickly snapped at them to leave us alone. Whether out of fear, out of respect, or something else, I was thankful they obliged. But there was one onlooker who didn’t budge, however. She stood there. Her small build giving off the same confidence as a Denizen of Alternia itself. She wasn’t going to leave because a yellow-blood in front of, and responsible for, a broken down cerulean blood told her too.

“Umm..Sollux. Care to explain what’s going on here?” Her voice betrayed everything I knew about her, about the soft-hearted and compassionate person that I had always known her to be. 

“Nep..” I started without turning my eyes from the broken down woman in front of me. “I have to make a choice it seems.”

I know she nodded from the doorway; I didn’t have to look at the hurt she also now bore because of me.

“Goodbye.”


End file.
